This invention relates to engines, and more particularly, to an internal combustion engine that can be used either as a power source for a motor-driven machinery or a pump.
The convention internal combustion engine used as a power source in the industry has one or more cylinders with pistons moving within the cylinders; the cylinders are arranged in a straight line, one after another, or in a V configuration. Such engines are inefficient as a large amount of power is lost in moving the pistons up and down along the line before the energy reaches an output shaft. Conventional internal combustion engines have valves that regulate the intake of the fuel, valve screws, rockers, lifters, timing belts, head gaskets, and other elements that constitute the structure of the engine; these elements, while required, increase the expense while not substantially increasing the output energy.
Rotary type engines overcome some of the problems associated with conventional reciprocating piston engines. Rotary piston engines are different types of internal combustion engines and consequently require less space for operating the motor-driven machinery. The most popular rotary engine is the so-called Wankle rotary engine, which has a piston with a triangular cross-section. The piston rotates in a specially shaped cylinder. Since the cylinder is irregularly shaped, it has problems with sealing, which translates into high fuel consumption and lower input to output energy ratio.
There is room, therefore, for improving a rotary internal combustion engine. The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with conventional engines and provision of a novel rotary engine that occupies less space and has higher input/output energy ratio.